Soledad O’Brien to do work for Al Jazeera America

This March 26, 2013 file photo shows journalist Soledad O’Brien at a birthday party for Chaka Kahn in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, file)

NEW YORK (AP) — Former CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien will be contributing reports to the new Al Jazeera America network when it debuts in August.

The network said Monday that O’Brien will report for the network’s prime-time magazine series, “America Tonight.” Al Jazeera has also made a deal with O’Brien’s production company to produce hour-long documentaries.

O’Brien is pioneering a new model since leaving CNN this spring. She’s actively building up her company, Starfish Media Group, in making deals with different media outlets. She has also signed on to HBO’s “Real Sports” as a reporter for the sports-oriented newsmagazine and is contracted to continue making some documentaries for CNN.

O’Brien is joining fellow “Today” show alum Bryant Gumbel at “Real Sports.” Her first story is about war veterans who use martial arts to help cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.